Oven appliance and method for operating oven appliance

ABSTRACT

Oven appliances and methods for operating oven appliances are provided. An oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along a vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction. The oven appliance further includes an inlet aperture defined in the bottom wall, and a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture. The oven appliance further includes a heating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber, and a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to oven appliances,particularly oven appliance having lower heating elements that areoutside of the cooking chamber, and to methods for operating such ovenappliances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional residential and commercial oven appliances generallyinclude a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber for receipt of fooditems for cooking. Heating elements are positioned within the cookingchamber to provide heat to food items located therein. The heatingelements can include, for example, radiant heating elements, such as abake heating element positioned at a bottom of the cooking chamberand/or a broil heating element positioned at a top of the cookingchamber.

Generally, oven appliances are preheated prior to inserting food itemsinto the appliance's cooking chamber. Such pre-heating can be necessaryto heat the oven appliance's walls, doors, and other exposed surfacesand bring the temperature of the oven appliance up to a steady-stateoperating temperature. Prior to such pre-heating, radiant heat transferfrom such components can be insufficient or unsuitable to properly cookfood items within the cooking chamber. Generally, oven appliancesactivate the broil heating element and the bake heating element duringthe operation in the pre-heat mode. In particular, the broil heatingelement and the bake heating element are generally operated at a singleconstant power output during the pre-heat mode until the steady-stateoperating temperature is obtained. During such pre-heating mode, anyfood items placed in the cooking chamber may not cook properly becausethe amount of heat provided to the food items and the exposure toradiant heat from the broil heating element does not match that of apre-heated (steady-state) oven. For example, the top portion of the fooditems may cook more quickly than the bottom portion of the food itemsdue to the activated broil heating element.

To avoid such heat imbalance, a user must generally wait for the cookingchamber to reach the steady-state cooking temperature before insertingfood items therein. However, waiting for the oven to pre-heat canconsume a significant amount of the user's time. For example, operationin a pre-heat mode can take over ten minutes to complete depending uponthe operating temperature desired.

Recently, oven appliances have been developed which utilize bake heatingelements that are located outside of the cooking chamber, such as belowthe bottom wall of the cooking chamber. These designs have becomepopular due to the ease of cleaning the bottom wall inside the cookingchamber. However, the location of the bake heating element outside thecooking chamber further increases the pre-heat mode time, by requiringheating of the cooking chamber by the bake heating element through thebottom wall. Additionally, activation of the bake heating element duringa pre-heat mode must be intermittent, such as through cycling on andoff, to prevent damage to the walls surrounding the bake heatingelement.

Accordingly, improved oven appliances and methods for operating ovenappliances are desired. In particular, oven appliances and methods whichinclude bake heating elements located outside of the oven appliancecooking chamber, and which further facilitate decreased pre-heat modetimes, would be advantageous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. Theoven appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and atransverse direction that are each perpendicular to each other. The ovenappliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heatingchamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to becooked and including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along thevertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cookingchamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart alongthe vertical direction. The oven appliance further includes an inletaperture defined in the bottom wall, and a plurality of outlet aperturesdefined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet aperturesdisposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inletaperture. The oven appliance further includes a heating element disposedwithin the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber,and a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between thecooking chamber and the heating chamber.

In accordance with another embodiment, an oven appliance is provided.The oven appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction,and a transverse direction that are each perpendicular to each other.The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and aheating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items tobe cooked and including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart alongthe vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cookingchamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart alongthe vertical direction. The oven appliance further includes an inletaperture defined and generally centrally located in the bottom wall, anda plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of theplurality of outlet apertures generally equally spaced from the inletaperture along the lateral direction. The oven appliance furtherincludes a heating element disposed within the heating chamber andconfigured to heat the cooking chamber, and a fan operable to flow airalong an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heatingchamber.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method for operating an ovenappliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining acooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configuredfor receipt of items to be cooked and including a top wall and a bottomwall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamberdisposed below the cooking chamber and including the bottom wall and abase wall spaced apart along the vertical direction. The method includesactivating a heating element in a preheat mode, the heating elementdisposed within the heating chamber. The method further includesactivating a fan disposed in the heating chamber when the heatingelement is activated in the preheat mode. Activation of the fan causesan air flow along an air flow path through an inlet aperture and aplurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of theplurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of thebottom wall relative to the inlet aperture.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdescription and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including thebest mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is setforth in the specification, which makes reference to the appendedfigures.

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an oven appliance in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 provides a sectional view of the oven appliance of FIG. 1 takenalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of an oven appliance in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cutaway front view of the oven appliance of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cutaway perspective view of an oven appliance in accordancewith another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention,one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Eachexample is provided by way of explanation of the invention, notlimitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be madein the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit ofthe invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as partof one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a stillfurther embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present inventioncovers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an oven appliance 10 according toan exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 2 provides asection view of oven appliance 10 taken along the 2-2 line of FIG. 1.Oven appliance 10 defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction Land a transverse direction T. The vertical, lateral and transversedirections are mutually perpendicular and form an orthogonal directionsystem. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, ovenappliance 10 is provided by way of example only, and the present subjectmatter may be used in any suitable oven appliance. Thus, the presentsubject matter may be used with other oven or range applianceconfigurations, e.g., that define multiple interior cavities for thereceipt of food and/or having different pan or rack arrangements thanwhat is shown in FIG. 2.

Oven appliance 10 includes an insulated cabinet 12 with an interiorcooking chamber 14 defined by an interior surface 15 of cabinet 12.Cooking chamber 14 is configured for the receipt of one or more fooditems to be cooked. Oven appliance 10 includes a door 16 rotatablymounted to cabinet 12, e.g., with a hinge (not shown). A handle 18 ismounted to door 16 and assists a user with opening and closing door 16in order to access cooking chamber 14. For example, a user can pull onhandle 18 to open or close door 16 and access cooking chamber 14.

Oven appliance 10 can includes a seal (not shown) between door 16 andcabinet 12 that assist with maintaining heat and cooking fumes withincooking chamber 14 when door 16 is closed as shown in FIG. 2. Multipleparallel glass panes 22 provide for viewing the contents of cookingchamber 14 when door 16 is closed and assist with insulating cookingchamber 14. A baking rack 24 is positioned in cooking chamber 14 for thereceipt of food items or utensils containing food items. Baking rack 24is slidably received onto embossed ribs 26 or sliding rails 28 (seeFIGS. 3 through 6) such that rack 24 may be conveniently moved into andout of cooking chamber 14 when door 16 is open.

As shown, various sidewalls define the cooking chamber 14. For example,cooking chamber 14 includes a top wall 30 and a bottom wall 32 which arespaced apart along the vertical direction V. Left sidewall 34 and rightsidewall 36 (as defined according to a front view as shown in FIG. 2)extend between the top wall 30 and bottom wall 32, and are spaced apartalong the lateral direction L. A rear wall 38 may additionally extendbetween the top wall 30 and bottom wall 32 as well as between the leftsidewall 34 and right sidewall 36, and is spaced apart from the door 16along the transverse direction T. Cooking chamber 14 is thus definedbetween the top wall 30, bottom wall 32, left sidewall 34, rightsidewall 36, and rear wall 38.

Insulated cabinet 12 further includes and defines an interior heatingchamber 40 defined by interior surface 15. In general, the heatingchamber 40 is disposed below the cooking chamber 14, such as along thevertical direction V. For example, heating chamber 40 includes thebottom wall 32 and a base wall 42 which are spaced apart along thevertical direction V. Left sidewall 34 and right sidewall 36 (as definedaccording to a front view as shown in FIG. 2) further extend between thebottom wall 32 and a base wall 42, and are spaced apart along thelateral direction L. Rear wall 38 may additionally extend between thebottom wall 32 and base wall 42 as well as between the left sidewall 34and right sidewall 36. Heating chamber 40 is thus defined between thebottom wall 32, base wall 42, left sidewall 34, right sidewall 36, andrear wall 38.

A bottom heating element 46, e.g. a bake heating element is disposedwithin the heating chamber 40. In exemplary embodiments as illustrated,the bottom heating element 46 is an electric heating element, as isgenerally understood. Alternatively, the bottom heating element 46 maybe a gas burner or other suitable heating element having anothersuitable heating source. Heating element 46 is used to heat cookingchamber 14 for both cooking and cleaning of range appliance 10, asdiscussed herein.

Additionally, a top heating element 48, e.g. a broil heating element maybe disposed within the cooking chamber 14, such as adjacent top wall 30.In exemplary embodiments as illustrated, the top heating element 48 isan electric heating element, as is generally understood. Alternatively,the top heating element 48 may be a gas burner or other suitable heatingelement having another suitable heating source. Heating element 48 mayadditionally be used to heat cooking chamber 14 for both cooking andcleaning of range appliance 10, as discussed herein.

The operation of oven appliance 10 including heating elements 46 and 48may be controlled by a processing device such as a controller 50.Controller 50 may be in communication (via for example a suitable wiredor wireless connection) to the heating elements 46, 48 and othersuitable components of the oven appliance 10, such as a fan 70 asdiscussed herein. By way of example, the controller may include a memoryand one or more processing devices such as microprocessors, CPUs or thelike, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable toexecute programming instructions or micro-control code associated withoperation of appliance 10. The memory may represent random access memorysuch as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In oneembodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored inmemory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or maybe included onboard within the processor.

Such controller 50 may also be communication with a temperature sensor52 that is used to measure temperature inside cooking chamber 14 andprovide such measurements to the controller 50. Temperature sensor 52 isshown (in FIG. 2) in the top and rear of cooking chamber 14. However,other locations may be used and, if desired, multiple temperaturesensors may be applied as well.

Controller 50 is operable to activate various cooking modes based on,for example, user selection thereof. For example, controller 50 may beoperable to activate a preheat mode and one or more cooking modes, suchas a bake mode and/or a broil mode. Preheat mode may generally be a modein which the cooking chamber 14 is initially heated in preparation for acooking mode, such as bake mode or broil mode. Cooking modes, such asbake and broil modes may variously be utilized to cook food items, etc.within the cooking chamber 14.

Heating element 46, as well as heating element 48, may be operable toheat the cooking chamber 14 during operation of the oven appliance 10in, for example, a preheat mode and/or cooking mode. Additionally, thepresent disclosure may further be directed to oven appliance 10 designswhich facilitate improved heating of the cooking chamber 14. Forexample, oven appliances 10 in accordance with the present disclosuremay have reduced, more efficient pre-heat mode times. Further, during apreheat mode of an oven appliance 10 in accordance with the presentdisclosure, the heating element 46 may advantageously be allowed toremain on constantly without risk of damage to, for example, the bottomwall 32 or other walls surrounding and defining the heating chamber 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, for example, oven appliance 10 inaccordance with the present disclosure may include at least one inletaperture 60 and a plurality of outlet apertures 62 each defined in thebottom wall 32. In general, the outlet apertures 62 may each be disposedproximate a periphery of the bottom wall 32 (which may generally bedefined by the door 16, left sidewall 34, right sidewall 36, and rearwall 38). In other words, each outlet aperture 62 may be closed to theperiphery of the bottom wall 32 than the inlet aperture 60.Advantageously, during operation of the oven appliance 10, an air flowmay be created along an air flow path 64 through the inlet aperture 60and outlet apertures 62. This air flow may facilitate improved heatingof the cooking chamber 14. Specifically, this air flow may decrease thetime required for a preheat mode before a target temperature is reached.Further, such air flow may advantageously heat the cooking chamber 14evenly, and may prevent or reduce the risk of damage to the bottom wall32 and other walls surrounding and defining the heating chamber 40.

As discussed, air flow along the air flow path 64 may advantageouslyfacilitate even heating of the oven appliance 10. The use of multipleoutlet apertures 62 with a single inlet aperture 60, as well as thearrangement of the inlet aperture 60 and outlet apertures 62, mayadvantageously contribute to such even heating. For example, in someembodiments as illustrated, the inlet aperture 60 may be generallycentrally located in the bottom wall 32. For example, a center point ofthe inlet aperture 60 may be located approximately at a center point ofthe bottom wall 32 along the lateral direction L and the transversedirection T. Further, in some embodiments as shown, each of theplurality of outlet apertures 62, such as center points thereof, mayadvantageously be generally evenly spaced from the inlet aperture 60,such as a center point thereof, along the lateral direction L and/or thetransverse direction T.

The air flow path 64 in exemplary embodiments as shown travels from theheating chamber 40 into the cooking chamber 14 through the outletapertures 62 and from the cooking chamber 14 to the heating chamber 40through the inlet aperture 60. To facilitate air flow along the air flowpath 64, the oven appliance 10 may further include a fan 70. The fan 70may be at least partially disposed within the heating chamber 40. Forexample, blades 72 of the fan 70 may be disposed within the heatingchamber 40, while a motor 74 of the fan 70 may be disposed outside ofthe heating chamber 40. Alternatively, the entire fan 70 may be disposedwithin the heating chamber 40. Fan 70 may be operable to flow air alongthe air flow path 64 between the cooking chamber 14 and the heatingchamber 40, such as through the inlet aperture 60 and the outletapertures 62. For example, rotation of the blades 72 may move air withinthe heating chamber 40, and this air may move along the flow path 64.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5, a cover panel 80 may insome embodiments be disposed within the cooking chamber 14 adjacent tothe inlet aperture 60. The cover panel 80 may generally cover theaperture 60 (while still allowing flow therethrough) to prevent spillagethrough the aperture 60 during oven appliance 10 operation. For example,cover panel 80 may be slightly spaced from the bottom wall 32 and inletaperture 60 along the vertical direction V, such that air flow throughthe inlet aperture 60 must travel between the bottom wall 32 and coverpanel 80 to reach the aperture 60.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5, a partition 82 may in some embodimentsbe utilized to further define the air flow path 64. Partition 82 may bedisposed within the heating chamber 40, and may serve to separateportions of the heating chamber 40. For example, the partition 82 mayseparate the heating element 60 and the fan 70 such that the heatingelement 60 is for example disposed in an upper portion 84 of the chamber40 and the fan 70 (or at least a portion thereof) is disposed in a lowerportion 86 of the chamber 40. Further, in exemplary embodiments, an airflow aperture 88 may be defined in the partition 82, and the air flowpath 64 may travel through this air flow aperture 88, such as from theupper portion 84 to the lower portion 86. Air flow aperture 88 may, forexample, be generally centrally located in the partition 82 and/oraligned with, such as generally concentric with, the inlet aperture 60.Alternatively, air flow aperture 88 may be defined at any suitablelocation in partition 82.

As discussed, controller 50 may be in communication with heatingelements 46, 48 and fan 70. The controller 50 may be operable toactivate and deactivate the heating elements 46, 48 and the fan 70 asdesired or required for a particular operation of the oven appliance 10in, for example, a particular mode. For example, controller 50 may beoperable to activate the heating element 46 (as well as optional heatingelement 48) in a preheat mode. While in some embodiments controller 50may activate the heating elements 46, 48 in a preheat mode such that oneor both are only intermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e.cycling on and off during the preheat mode), in other exemplaryembodiments controller 50 may activate the heating elements 46, 48 inthe preheat mode such that one or both are constantly active during theentire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the preheat mode).Further, controller 50 may be operable to activate the fan 70 when theheating element 46 (as well as optional heating element 48) is active inthe preheat mode. While in some embodiments controller 50 may activatethe fan 70 in the preheat mode such that it is only intermittentlyactive during the preheat mode (i.e. cycling on and off during thepreheat mode), in other exemplary embodiments controller 50 may activatethe fan 70 in the preheat mode such that it is constantly active duringthe entire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the preheat mode).

Controller 50 may further be operable to activate the heating element 46(as well as optional heating element 48) in a cooking mode. Controller50 may activate the heating elements 46, 48 in a cooking mode such thatone or both are only intermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e.cycling on and off during the cooking mode) or such that one or both areconstantly active during the entire preheat mode (i.e. constantly onduring the cooking mode). Further, controller 50 may be operable toactivate the fan 70 when the heating element 46 (as well as optionalheating element 48) is active in the cooking mode. Controller 50 mayactivate the fan 70 in the cooking mode such that it is onlyintermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e. cycling on and offduring the cooking mode) or such that it is constantly active during theentire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the cooking mode).

The present disclosure is further directed to methods for operating ovenappliances 10. In exemplary embodiments, a controller 50 of ovenappliance 10 may be operable to perform the methods steps as disclosedherein. A method may include, for example, the step of activating aheating element 46 (as well as an optional additional heating element48) in a preheat mode, the heating element 46 disposed within a heatingchamber 40 of the oven appliance 10 as discussed herein. A method mayfurther include, for example, the step of activating a fan 70 disposedin the heating chamber 40 when the heating element 46 (and optionally48) is activated in the preheat mode. Activation of the fan 70 may causean air flow along an air flow path 64 through an inlet aperture 60 and aplurality of outlet apertures 62 defined in a bottom wall 32 of the ovenappliance 10, as discussed herein.

Further, in some embodiments, a method may include the step ofactivating the heating element 46 (as well as the optional additionalheating element 48) in a cooking mode, as discussed herein. A method mayfurther include, for example, the step of activating the fan 70 when theheating element 46 (and optionally 48) is activated in the cooking mode,as discussed herein. Activation of the fan 70 may cause an air flowalong an air flow path 64 through an inlet aperture 60 and a pluralityof outlet apertures 62 defined in a bottom wall 32 of the oven appliance10, as discussed herein.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the invention, including making and using any devices orsystems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope ofthe invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examplesthat occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intendedto be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elementsthat do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if theyinclude equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differencesfrom the literal languages of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An oven appliance that defines a verticaldirection, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are eachperpendicular to each other, the oven appliance comprising: a cabinetdefining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamberconfigured for receipt of items to be cooked and comprising a top walland a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heatingchamber disposed below the cooking chamber and comprising the bottomwall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction; an inletaperture defined in the bottom wall; a plurality of outlet aperturesdefined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet aperturesdisposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inletaperture; a heating element disposed within the heating chamber andconfigured to heat the cooking chamber; and a fan operable to flow airalong an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heatingchamber.
 2. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the air flow pathtravels from the heating chamber into the cooking chamber through theoutlet apertures and from the cooking chamber into the heating chamberthrough the inlet aperture.
 3. The oven appliance of claim 1, furthercomprising a cover panel disposed within the cooking chamber andadjacent the inlet aperture.
 4. The oven appliance of claim 1, furthercomprising a partition disposed within the heating chamber, thepartition separating the fan and the heating element.
 5. The ovenappliance of claim 4, wherein an air flow aperture is defined in thepartition.
 6. The oven appliance of claim 1, further comprising acontroller in communication with the heating element and the fan, thecontroller operable to activate the fan when the heating element isactive in a preheat mode.
 7. The oven appliance of claim 6, wherein thecontroller is further operable to activate the fan when the heatingelement is active in a cooking mode.
 8. The oven appliance of claim 6,wherein the controller is operable to activate the fan such that the fanis constantly active during the entire preheat mode.
 9. The ovenappliance of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of outlet aperturesis generally equally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateraldirection.
 10. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the inlet apertureis generally centrally located in the bottom wall.
 11. An oven appliancethat defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transversedirection that are each perpendicular to each other, the oven appliancecomprising: a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber,the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked andcomprising a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the verticaldirection, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber andcomprising the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along thevertical direction; an inlet aperture defined and generally centrallylocated in the bottom wall; a plurality of outlet apertures defined inthe bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures generallyequally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateral direction; aheating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured toheat the cooking chamber; and a fan operable to flow air along an airflow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.
 12. Theoven appliance of claim 11, further comprising a cover panel disposedwithin the cooking chamber and adjacent the inlet aperture.
 13. The ovenappliance of claim 11, further comprising a partition disposed withinthe heating chamber, the partition separating the fan and the heatingelement.
 14. A method for operating an oven appliance, the ovenappliance comprising a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heatingchamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to becooked and comprising a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart alongthe vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cookingchamber and comprising the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apartalong the vertical direction, the method comprising: activating aheating element in a preheat mode, the heating element disposed withinthe heating chamber; and activating a fan disposed in the heatingchamber when the heating element is activated in the preheat mode,wherein activation of the fan causes an air flow along an air flow paththrough an inlet aperture and a plurality of outlet apertures defined inthe bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposedproximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture.15. The method of claim 14, wherein the air flow path travels from theheating chamber into the cooking chamber through the outlet aperturesand from the cooking chamber into the heating chamber through the inletaperture.
 16. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating theheating element in a cooking mode, and activating the fan disposed inthe heating chamber when the heating element is activated in the cookingmode.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the fan is activated such thatthe fan is constantly active during the entire preheat mode.
 18. Themethod of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of outlet apertures isgenerally equally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateraldirection.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein the inlet aperture isgenerally centrally located in the bottom wall.